Impedance management in coaxial cable terminations

• US 8,177,582 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Amidon, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Girardi, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US12/753,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 174/68.1, 30/901, 298/57
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/44 comprising impedance matching means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/56 specially adapted to a specific shape of cables, e.g. corrugated cables, twisted pair cables, cables with two screens or hollow cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/28 for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/532 Conductor

Abstract

Managing impedance in coaxial cable termination. In one example embodiment, a method for terminating a coaxial cable is provided. The coaxial cable includes an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor. The method includes various acts. First, a section of the insulating layer is cored out. Next, the diameter of the inner conductor that is positioned within the cored-out section is reduced. Then, at least a portion of an internal connector structure is inserted into the cored-out section so as to surround the section of reduced-diameter inner conductor. Finally, an external connector structure is affixed to the internal connector structure. A coaxial cable termination tool for use in the termination of a coaxial cable and a terminated coaxial cable are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A terminated coaxial cable comprising:

an inner conductor configured to propagate a signal;

an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor;

an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer;

a jacket surrounding the outer conductor; and

a terminal section of the coaxial cable comprising;

a cored-out section of the coaxial cable in which the insulating layer has been removed and a diameter of the inner conductor has been reduced;

at least a portion of a connector mandrel positioned within the cored-out section and surrounding the reduced-diameter inner conductor; and

an external connector structure connected to the mandrel.

2. The terminated coaxial cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises a spiral-shaped spacer.

3. The terminated coaxial cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises a foamed material.

4. The terminated coaxial cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the mandrel and the external connector structure are portions of a compression-type connector.

5. The terminated coaxial cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner conductor comprises a hollow inner conductor.

6. The terminated coaxial cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the impedance of the terminal section of the coaxial cable is about equal to the impedance of the remainder of the coaxial cable.

7. A coaxial cable termination tool configured for use in the termination of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the coaxial cable termination tool comprising:

a body comprising;

means for coring out a section of the insulating layer; and

means for reducing the diameter of the inner conductor that is positioned within the cored-out section.

8. The tool as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for coring out a section of the insulating layer comprises a rotary cutting blade configured to automatically cut out a length of the insulating layer about equal to the length of a portion of a particular internal connector.

9. The tool as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for reducing the diameter of the inner conductor comprises a rotary swaging die configured to rotationally swage a length of the center conductor about equal to the length of a portion of a particular internal connector.

10. The tool as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for reducing the diameter of the inner conductor comprises a structure configured to automatically remove a portion of the material from which the inner conductor is formed.

11. The tool as recited in claim 7, further comprising a drive shank extending outward from a back end of the body, the drive shank being configured to be received in a drill chuck.

12. The tool as recited in claim 11, further comprising a guide pin extending outward from a front end of the body, the pin being configured to be inserted into a hollow portion of the inner conductor.

13. The tool as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for reducing the diameter of the inner conductor is further configured to reduce the diameter of the hollow portion of the inner conductor to be about equal to a diameter of the pin.

14. A method for terminating a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the method comprising the following acts:

coring out a section of the insulating layer;

reducing a diameter of the inner conductor that is positioned within the cored-out section;

inserting at least a portion of an internal connector structure into the cored-out section so as to surround the reduced-diameter inner conductor; and

affixing an external connector structure to the internal connector structure.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the act of reducing the diameter of the inner conductor comprises swaging the inner conductor.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the act of reducing the diameter of the inner conductor comprises removing a portion of the material from which the inner conductor is formed.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the diameter of the inner conductor is reduced to the extent that the impedance of the cored-out section with the inserted internal connector structure about matches the impedance of the remainder of the coaxial cable.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the act of coring out a section of the insulating layer is accomplished using a coaxial cable termination tool configured to core out a length of the insulating layer about equal to the length of the portion of the internal connector structure that is inserted into the cored-out section.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the act of reducing the diameter of the inner conductor is accomplished using the coaxial cable termination tool further configured to reduce the diameter of a length of the inner conductor about equal to the length of the portion of the internal connector structure that is inserted into the cored-out section.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the acts of coring out a section of the insulating layer and reducing the diameter of the inner conductor are performed simultaneously using the coaxial cable termination tool.